What? Some people on here just enjoy declining work for the fun of it I think. I've left quite a few groups - some of which asked me to join them in the first place! - because they then declined all my submissions. One group requested a submitter, which I had to supply 5 examples of what I would submit. They took me on, then declined 2 of the 5 examples I'd given (this was other people's work, not my own!), and declined the only shot of my own that I submitted. They asked me to say hello in the admin area and nobody replied to me. I didn't even say goodbye, I just left.

There are wonderful people on dA, just turn your back without a second thought on those who think they are 'more worthy'.

thanks May..thats what I have been doing...just leaving.....I seen some of the admins deviations on some of these groups that I left and they are not any better than mine..it just aggravates me when they decline something that I submitted that has over 100 views and 50 faves on....I just dont get it, but after talking with my wonderful friends I have decided, if I like it and my friends like it...that is all that matters!!!s

Hello Marilyn!! You have presented a very good subject and why you feel the way that you do!!

I honestly suppose that if you give up trying, then I definitely should as well as many other people judging by the methods and criteria you have talked about!!

All of us no matter who we are always try to do our best with what we know and with what we have ... it's only natural to do this!! You say that your images are not the best and "no" as NOBODY'S images are the best because that statement is truly hypothetical in many ways!! I've been doing this for a very long time and am formally trained in it as well and you know what? ... by the reaction of my work to many people, I feel like you do and that everything I learned was for nothing!! The image you have thumbed here has some pretty good "numbers" associated with it and you should be proud of the picture and results accordingly!! Most of my images don't even do that good in this those terms, so don't be upset about that, okay? And as far as groups go ... you need to remember something about them!! The people who judge images that were submitted are just normal people like yourself and they don't have any special qualifications to actually judge anyone's work!! If you ever go to their sites, their work isn't in my opinion that good from a technical perspective, so again it all has to do with if someone just thinks an image looks good or not!! And one other thing too Marilyn ... sometimes I found in groups that it isn't what submit do that gets your images accepted, but more as to who you are as well!! That's why I pretty much stay away from them as I have had my work judged, critiqued and assessed many times in the past by people who truly have the "right" to make this kind of judgement like from my college, etc. and I have learned a lot and don't need someone passing judgement on my work who in my eyes aren't qualified to judge this medium!!

I'm very sorry that this image has been declined from 3 groups and especially if without giving a legitimate reason ... more than likely it was because they couldn't give you one!! This is what I'm talking about with groups and please think a lot about in the future when submitting your work ... it really might not be you, but more like them!! And if you stop trying ... you have given into people who aren't worth the time and the trouble to please anyway ... who are they anyway that makes them such experts?

Anyway ... never stop trying and giving into this kind of treatment by others and as far as asking what is wrong with this picture or why it was declined ... I could go into a lot of technical issues with this image that wouldn't make any sense, but I don't do that in public forum and also unless it is specifically asked me in private as I DON'T judge other people's work like that and I have very specific reasons for it!!

Please take care Marilyn and don't let this kind of behavior of others ruin something you love to do, okay?

Lee, thank you so muchs after reading this I feel so much better about myself and my photography. I have also decided that if I know my picture is good and it gets declined, I'm just going to leave the group...better than to leave than get all upset and discouraged again.

I know this reply is very late (again) but thank you!!!! lots of love to you both!!!

Hello dear Marilyn!! You are very welcome as I was thinking that for a minute ... that I may have sounded kind of harsh which wasn't what I was trying to be!! I just wanted to make sure that you CAN'T let others (especially those in these groups) dictate your future and enjoyment with your photography by their actions!! That image you made reference to did very well among a lot of your watchers and to say that only the people in groups opinion actually counted for an image actually being good or not isn't fair to your other loyal friends on here ... actually quite the opposite!! If you take a picture and aren't exactly sure if it's to your liking and want some feedback prior to it's submission, that's fine and you should do this communication with someone that you trust and it should (to me) be done privately or you may end up just getting even more confused to the help and explanations you are getting!! But if you are happy with what you captured, then post it and take some pride in it and don't worry about opinion and judgements from groups, okay? If you also feel that leaving a group upon declination of an image is what you need to do ... then do it as there are so many other ones out there!! It's really not worth getting all upset over and will make you miserable here on DA which is exactly opposite of what it should be bringing into your life!!

Please don't worry about late replies either at least when it comes to me as I feel if my replies were on time, something would be wrong!! Take care and lots of love right back your way!!

you didn't sound harsh at all my dear friend...after reading this, you made another great point....I really DO CARE of what my friends on here think..NOT GROUPS!!!! so for now on, if I get declined..so what..its not the end of the world....I like it, my friends like it so that's all that matters!! thanks my dear friend!!! lots of love and hugs to you both always!!!

I'm happy that it wasn't taken this way Marilyn as sometimes I don't phrase things properly nor accurately!! That's a good way of looking at it and "no" very far from it being the "end of the world" ... that's for sure!!

You are just so welcome Marilyn as I have seen so many people that started talking like you were and guess what? ... they allowed these people to get to them and leave where they were really good at their perspective mediums!! They let the group thing have too much of an effect on their work and if it was good enough to display making them feel that there was no longer a point to even bother trying anymore ... I don't want that you happen to you nor anyone else that I support on here!!

Anyway ...take care and have a great balance of the week ... and s to you as well!!

I agree with Sandy; it's the groups, not you. Remember, many of these so called groups are run by regular people, some of whom are power tripping, and/or have no inkling of what art even is. Don't take it personal. Your skills are wonderful, so is this photo!

You're welcome sweetie,I belong to several groups but I never submit anything,can't handle rejection very well, and I think a lot of groups getcaught up in the power to reject peoples work just because they can,they don'tcare that they can hurt someone's feelings and make them doubt their selves,weall have feelings and need encouragement which is something some of these "groups"just don't understand!Don't let them discourage you...you have a lot of people whoenjoy your pictures and love you too!

I don't know why anyone would decline your beautiful pictures....after reading everything, and just realizing how many wonderful friends I have...I came to the conclusion that as long as I like my pictures and my friends like my pictures then that is all that matters!! thank you so much again my sweet and dearest friend!! love you!!! xo

Don't you dare stop trying, Marilyn dear friend!!! It's not your photo, it's a stunning shot! It's the groups and you should give them up if they are declining your work without explanation! You don't need this sweetheart and shame on them for making you feel like this hun!! If this were me, I would seek some photo groups that encourage and support your work, and showcase it!!

Hi! My opinion is just an obsevation about this image. I think it wasn't acceptedbecause there isn'ta realsubject. The starting is good, but there are things that doesn't work. For example thesunlightis too strong and covers the flowers andyou can't seethem. And where is the shadow flowers are blurred. Maybeyou should get a small group of flowers onfocus and use the others like a frame.I agree with the others who told you to don't pay attention to the viewsortohavefavorites, the constructive criticism are few and most of them come from comments.Make practice and everything will be good in the next images.

Well, I can tell you about my experience. I started making even twenty photosof the same flower. I have a compact camera and I dared with the semi automatic settings,so I could have the same image with different details. I learned from those images what was good and wasn't good.And remember the software. I think when you bought you camera you should found it.Even that one is helpful, so you should learn how to use it.

I don't know why it would be declined Marilyn - it's a lovely shot and there is nothing wrong with it! Please don't be discouraged o.k! If the groups are going to do that with your shots then just give them the flick! You don't need anyone making you feel bad! Don't stop doing what you enjoy Marilyn - your friends will always support you!

Vin, thank you so much for this comment, after reading this it really made me feel so much better about myself and my pictures I do take...I know I'm not perfect at it by any means..but I am so deeply honored to have such supportive friends like you and everyone else that responded to this journal!! sss

Oh then I'd probably see if the groups have certain quality limits as I tend to avoid those unless they have a critique folder. I'd probably recommend trying to find a group that is specifically for critiques. I'm in the young photo club group specifically to get critiqued by there staff. Never had anything accepted but the critiques they have gave me has really helped. One of there staff opened me up to a whole new way of editing my photos. I've got Photoshop elements and having used it for years its wonderful however when I found out it can take the jpegs and transfer them into camera raw editing and then I can up the clarity and vibrance it's done wonders. I've also spent real money on getting my watchers. Like probably $20 USD. It definitely helped as I got like 450-500 watchers with that. With a lot of them being active.

Oh then that explains it. A camera almost always desaturates, slightly blurs, and either makes it brighter or darker. Most people atleast work with the brightness level, the contrast level, and add saturation.